Rod former tongue for cigarette machines



March 25, 1941., E. D. SMITH ROD FORMER TONGUE FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES` Filed June 14, 1938` INVENTOR .TPHHHHH. H.

Patented Mar. 25, 1941 l i y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROD FORMER TONGUE FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Elberon D. Smith, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Appiioadon Juno 14, 193s, serial No. 213,611 1o claims. (c1. isi-s6) This invention relates to cigarette machines, against three lugs, provided for that purpose especially to the rod-former of a continuous rod upon a ridge or rib with which the tongue is cigarette machine, and more particularly to a formed. device for mounting the tongue of such a rod- A further object is to provide for such co- 5 former. ordination of the screws governing the above ad- 5 The period when the tobacco is passing justments that it will only be necessary, when through the tongue of such a rod-former is removal of the tongue is desired, to back-off one generally considered the most critical phase of of the three horizontal set screws, so that the rod-formation, as any misalignment between the tongue is free to be lifted out and can be retongue and its associated rod-former parts is turned to its original position by a reversal of 10 likely to result in rupture of the paper because the operation, it being evident which of the set of the escape from the tongue of shorts or screws has been backed-off when the tongue Was bits of tobacco, which cause trouble; also when removed. the rod is passing through the subsequent oper- Other objects and features of the invention ations of pasting and sealing. will appear as the description of the particular 15 Under such conditions it is important that physical embodiment of the invention promeans be provided to insure substantially pergresses.

fect alignment of the tongue as well as means In the accompanying drawing, like characfor easy and rapid removal and replacement ters of reference are applied to corresponding thereof, parts throughout the several views which make 20 Accordingly, an object of the invention is to up the drawing, in which: provide a simplified and improved mounting de- Fig. 1 is a plan View of the rod-former `of a Vice for the above purpose by means of which a cigarette machine in the construction of which substantially universal angular adjustment of the present nVeIltOn has been embodied;

the tongue may be eected relatively to the axis Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof in side elevation; 25

of travel of the filler tobacco through the assoand ciated rod former parts; and as a cognate ob- Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same, looking ject the provision of means to secure the tongue from left to right on Fig. 2. in any position to which it may be moved ac- Viewed `in its generic aspect, as an improvecording to the invention. ment upon existing rod-former tongues and 30 Another object of importance is to provide their mounts, the structure illustrated is demeans by which the tongue is rendered quickly Signed to be substituted readily for any similar attachable and detachable with respect to the device used for a like purpose, and it may be rod-former mechanism, so that the tongue can moded in accordance with the exigencies of be readily removed from its operative position any particular installation without departing 35 at will `without disturbing the adjusted position from the basic idea of means Which underlies of the supporting means, and can be restored the present invention. to said adjusted operative position with ease, In the now-preferred embodiment of the inrapidity and accuracy. vention selected for illustration, the part desig- Another Object 0f the nVeIlOD iS t0 PTOVde nated by the reference character l0 is the tongue 40 a {HOUH'G OI' a tolgue Qf the .Class describedofa rod-former in a cigarette machinel which which can be readily utihzed with rod-formers may correspond to conventional usage in its Pf existing types the Presepi; improvements be' `general structure, and is intended to co-act in mg concerned pnmanly Wlth feature? exemal substantially the usual fashion with a folder to the tongue Structure' so that the menor of bottom insert n which is adustabie longitudi- 5 lnfongue may be of any deslred and Sultable nally in Ways formed in a folder bottom or base A cognate Object of the invention is to mm member l2, constituting part of the supporting vide a tongue-mount of the class described with Strlcfmfe for the de'flce- I a three-point support which lends itself to any 'uns Insert 1S held 1n place b'y SCIeWS 3 transvertical adustments-raising, lowering or tilting, fxmg the .Willis 0f the bOOm Piate. and the as may be desirable; also to provide for adjusttongue In 1S (115905651 between gulde pates i3 ing the tongue rotatively in a lateral sense; and, Which are SCl1 1d by `Screws .I4 to the folder in carrying this object into effect, to provide an bottom I2, the inner upright walls of thel plates additional set of three set screws, abutting |43 preferably converging 1n the direction of 55 travel of the web I6 and paper l5, and in conformity with the taper of the tongue I0.

The tongue I and the folder bottom insert are slightly narrower at their receiving ends than the width of the cigarette paper I5, as shown in Fig. l, and gradually taper off to about the diameter of the finished cigarettev rod at the delivery end, the paper being carried, with the tobacco T distributed thereon, by the folder tape I through the rod-forming mechanism parts I0, II and I3, above mentioned, to and through the usual associated folder, paster and sealer mechanism, in known or suitable manner.

In pursuance of a stated obect of the present invention, provision is made of means to effect and insure perfect alignment of the tongue Il] with relation to the mean axis of lengthwise movement of the stream of filler tobacco T as it is advanced by the paper web and its supporting folder tape I6, and. provision is also made of means by which the tongue is readily attachable and detachable with relation to the supporting structure without disturbing the devices by which the desired adustment is secured.

In carrying into effect this object of the invention, the tongue I0 is provided with a rib I'I extended lengthwise of the tongue, to the top of which the rib is united mechanically, preferably by an integral union, such as a soldered, brazed or welded seam, and this rib is further formed with three lugs, as at I8, two of which preferably project from the same side of the tongue, being spaced apart by nearly the entire length of the rib I'I, while the third lug I8 extends medially from the other side of the tongue, as shown in Fig. l.

In order to effect substantially universal angular adjustment of the tongue, provision is made of suitable complemental devices, it being understood that those described and illustrated are merely of an exemplary character, and that any suitable means may be adopted for the intended purpose.

In the present instance, the above purpose is served by providing each of the lugs I 8 with a vertical set-screw I9 carried by the lug, and adapted to engage a stop surface 2H on one of the two side blocks 2|, which are designated stop blocks, for the sake of brevity, each of these two stop blocks being preferably co-extensive in length with one of the underlying guide blocks I3, and being secured thereupon by the cap screws |4 which transX the blocks I3 and 2| and are set into the bottom block I2. The above-described arrangement of the set-screws I9 establishes a three-point support for the tongue |0 and enables the operator to obtain a tilting adjustment of the tongue I0, which tilt, in conjunction with the vertical lift or depression derived from appropriate setting of the screws I9 relatively to each other, contributes to the facility for achieving an elevational range of adjustment which is at the same time delicate and extensive.

In order to provide for a correspondingly desirable range of rotative or horizontal adjustment, the invention provides a set of screws 22-23 comprising two4 set-screws 22 with lock nuts |22, and a thumb screw 23, all three of these screws transxing the blocks 2| in suitable disposition to bear against the lugs I8 and determine the angular position of the tongue l0 relatively to the mean longitudinal axis of the rodformer. Thus, by backing-off and/or setting up of the set-screws I9 and 22--23 respectively, as may be required, a substantially universal angular adjustment of the tongue I0 within a desirable range of vertical and horizontal positions, and resultant sub-positions, may be secured at will, such variety in the possible adjustments being novel, so far as known to the present applicant. It will be noted that as the folder bottom insert II is adjustable longitudinally in yways formed in the folder bottom or base I2, as

pointed out atan early part of this specification, the tongue has a capacity for completely universa] adjustment, relatively to the bottom member |2, and this universally adjustable relationship constitutes an important. feature of the present invention and forms the subject of generic claims herein.

The lock nuts |90 and'I22 serve as effective means to fix the tongue I0 in its desired position of adjustment, and preferably this adjustment is not readily alterable, either by accident or meddling, for which purpose the set-screws I9 and 22 require the use of a tool, such as a screwdriver, thus avoiding casual mis-setting of the set-screws; while at the same time, the provision of thumb screws, as at 23, makes it possible to release readily the tongue I0, so that it can be removed and inspected at will, so far as its horizontal disposition is concerned, without changing the adjustment from the horizontal position to which the set screws 22 may have been set.

Similarly, provision is made of easily releasable means for maintaining the tongue in its set position against the three point bearing determined by the contact of set screws I9 with the faces 20 of the blocks 2| (see Fig. 3), such releasable means comprising, in the instance illustrated, the screw 24 which is supported in an arm 25 adapted to be swung atI Will around a pivot post 26 on the block 2|. This thumb screw 24, when brought down on top of the rib II, secures the tongue in its operative position after all of the adjustments above described have been completed.

In the event that it becomes desirable to remove the tongue l0 for examination and repair, replacement or adjustment, the thumb screw 24 is backed-off, and the arm 25 is swung around, so that the tongue can |be lifted clear after the thumb screw 23 has been backed-off. As the setting of screws I9 and 22 has not been disturbed, the tongue ID can be returned to its identical original position when the above described operation shall have been performed, in

reverse.

For the sake of convenience in locating the position where the thumb screw 24 is over the middle of the longitudinal rib a pin 21 is preferably placed in the front locating block 2|, 4and acts as a stop when the lug 28 on the arm 25 brings up against it, as illustrated in Fig. l.

In order to prevent the tongue I0 from being displaced longitudinally from its set position, provision is desirably made of wings 29 on one of the lugs I8, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so arranged as to fit diametrically across the slot 30 in the front locating block 2|.

What is claimed is:

1. A mount for the tongue of a cigarette rodforming mechanism, comprising a support, inflexible connections intermediate said support and tongue providing for substantially universal angular adjustment of the tongue relatively to the support, and mean-s to rhold said tongue rigidly'in each selected angular position.

2. A mount for the tongue of a cigarette rodforming mechanism comprising a supporting structure including a folder bottom or base, and

a folder bottom insert adjustable lengthwise on said folder bottom, a tongue-support and means for adjusting said tongue-support both vertically and horizontally at three spaced points to provide universal angular adjustment of the position of the tongue in said mechanism, said tongue being capable of completely universal adjustment as to said insert, and said means for horizontal adjustment being so constructed and arranged that. upon release of the means -at one of said three points the tongue will be freed for removal while the means at the other two points remain in adjusted position, whereby rapid attachment and detachment of the tongue is facilitated while maintaining accuracy of adjustment.

3. A mount for the tongue of a cigarette rodforming mechanism, comprising a tongue-support, a folder bottom, means for adjusting said tongue-support horizontally at three spacedapart points to control the position of said tongue in said mechanism, a pair of side members extending lengthwise of said folder bottom and having bearing surfaces to limit the vertical position of the tongue, means for securing said side members on said folder bottom, and a device for demountably securing said tongue in adjusted position, said device being readily operable manually to move said tongue positively toward said bearing surfaces and to release the tongue for removal.

ll. A mount of the class described, having the features claimed in claim 3, in which provision is made of means between the tongue and each of said bearing surfaces on said side members for effecting vertical adjustments of the tongue at three spaced apart points.

5. A mount for the tongue of a cigarette rodformin-g mechanism, comprising a tongue-support, a base structure, means for adjusting said support both vertically and horizontally to control the position of the tongue in said mechanism and a device for demountably attaching said tongue-support in adjusted position on the base structure, said device comprising a swinging locking lever, readily operable manually to secure the tongue-support in its adjusted position and to release it.

6. In a rod-forming mechanism for a cigarette machine, and in combination, a tongue, a base structure and a mount for said tongue comprising a tongue-support, and means for adjusting said tongue-support to control its position in said mechanism, said adjusting means including a set of three spaced vertical set screws carried by the tongue-support and a binding screw carried by the base structure, and a set of three horizontal set screws carried by said base structure.

7. A tongue and its mount having the features set forth in claim 8, in which one screw in said horizontal set is readily operable manually for ready attachment and detachment of the tongue at will to and from an adjusted position thereof defined by the other set-screws in each of said sets.

8. A tongue for a rod-former in a cigarette machine having a mount for said rod former, said tongue having a longitudinal rib upon its upper part, and lugs extending laterally from said rib, two of said lugs being disposed in spaced apart relation, one near each end of said rib at one side thereof, and another lug being disposed at an intermediate region of the opposite side of said rib, each of said lugs having an orifice and an upright set screw mounted adjustably in each orifice whereby vertical, tilting and rotative adjustments of the tongue can be effected.

9. A mount for the tongue of a cigarette rodforming mechanism, comprising a folder bottom base structure, a folder bottom insert mounted for lengthwise adjustment upon said folder bottom base, a tongue-support and connections between said tongue-support and said folder bottom base structure at three points spaced apart lengthwise of the tongue support and also spaced apart across the major axis of the tongue support, providing for universal adjustment as between the tongue support, the folder bottom base structure and the folder bottom insert, said universal adjustment including a rocking adjustment of the tongue support about said major axis thereof.

10. A tongue adapted to be associated removably with the mount of a rod-former in a cigarette machine having the features claimed in claim 8, said mount having three set-screws constructed and arranged to control horizontal adjustments of the tongue, wherein each of said lugs of said tongue is provided with a face adapted to cooperate with one of said three set-screws.

ELBERON D. SMITH.

CERTlFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,255,855. March 25, 19in..

' ELBERON D. SMITH.

It is hereby certified that error appears inv the printed specification fof the above numbered patent requiring `correcti on as follows: Page 5, sec- I ond column,v line 8, claim T, for the claim reference numeral' "8" read 6; and that the lsaid Letters Patent should be read Withthis correction therein' that the same may conform to the record ef the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of May, A. D. lQll.

Henry- Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

